"You see that I cannot direct you as I wish, but my sister, who is the
Queen of the Fishes, may, perhaps, be better informed than I. Seat
yourself between the two wings of this eagle, and he will carry you to
her."
The Prince obeyed, and, in the evening, alighted at a small cabin.
There he found an old woman, who inquired who he was and where he
wished to go.
"I am the son of a King," he replied. "I am in search of the Land of
Youth, and have come to you with the recommendation of your sister."
"I have lived nine hundred years," said the good old woman, "and have
never heard tell of the country to which you wish to go; but to-morrow
I will question the fishes."
Next day, in fulfilment of her promise, she blew her horn, and
instantly a great commotion was seen in the waves, all the fishes
darting through the waters and assembling about their Queen, who
inquired whether they knew where the Land of Youth was, and they all
answered that they did not know.
"But I don't see amongst you the old whale," cried the Queen.
In a moment, a great noise was heard in the water; it was caused by the
hurried arrival of the whale.
"Why are you so late?" demanded the Queen.
"I have had a long way to come--several thousand leagues."
"Where have you been?"
"To the Land of Youth."
"Very well. You have failed in your duty by not coming sooner in answer
to my summons; as a punishment, you will bear this young man to the
land from which you have come and bring him back."
[Illustration: "THE WHALE SPED RAPIDLY THROUGH THE WATERS."]
The Prince warmly thanked the good nine-hundred-years-old woman and got
upon the back of the whale, which sped rapidly through the waters. By
the arrival of evening, he had reached the shore on which he desired to
land.